I love credit cards so much!

[CyndiLouWho]

Once an Hour is the appropriate method...any less and you aren't doing it right

I restrained myself. Called once last night, ok twice. Then didn’t even call before work, but on my way to my car after work, I called and found DH was approved. DH did call to get Card expedited but got a “no you signed up for 80k bonus” when he asked about the 100k. I know he didn’t push.

You might also be able to do combination -- when we went to Taiwan a few years ago, none of the tour operators that I found offered the particular itinerary that we wanted, so I contacted a few and they were willing to put together a modified tour for us. We did about 5 days on our own and five days with a guide.

There are packages that agencies do called Heritage tours, for kids adopted from China to go back. I would consider one of those because there would be other families with kids. Otherwise a general China tour would be good to hit the high points.

my parents are native Taiwanese so if anyone needs help with Taiwan, let me know.

See, you learn something new every day. Had no idea. My DS is from central China, Hubei province

 

[chattadisser]

I'm not sure how this is even possible...our Marriott card, that I upgraded yesterday...that we haven't used at all since MAY 2016...has a fraudulent charge on it!

(and of course it's my wife's card so out comes the high voice...)

How is that possible, lol! And so I called in and got it straight. I HOPE my 20k points will track through but they put a note on my account in case they don't. Wow...just wow, lol!

The same thing happened to me last month!! Absent the recent upgrade of course. It was like a $3500 charge many states away. Chase was awesome about it. Got a new card in a couple of days and the charge was gone. I had put the card away and couldn't even told you the last time I used it. Now to see if I can get an upgrade....

 

[Lain]

@amalone I love the hotel reviews.

I think we should start dischurners threads with hotel reviews like that to some of our most popular travel hacking locations.

I love this idea.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I could create a DISboards thread where the first post is an index by country/state/city. I can then create links when somebody creates a property review to that specific comment. I’d have to manage the first post but it would make it easy to find things

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I could create a DISboards thread where the first post is an index by country/state/city. I can then create links when somebody creates a property review to that specific comment. I’d have to manage the first post but it would make it easy to find things

I was going to suggest doing exactly that on post #1 of this thread but then I realized that person never comments.
How long til we have to start a new thread?

 

[AmyAnne]

Hawaiian Airlines people -- I just booked a flight (sadly not for me) on Hawaiian Airlines and am wondering about frequent flier miles. The person who is actually taking this flight doesn't have a HA frequent flier number -- should he create an account, or is there a way to get miles on another (partner?) airline's program?

 

[wendow]

I was going to suggest doing exactly that on post #1 of this thread but then I realized that person never comments.
How long til we have to start a new thread?

I’ve wondered the same but I think there are threads longer than this one.

 

[babyready]

Been meaning to add this, but my phone was being weird and not backing up my photos to google drive and I hadn't messed with it.

Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort/Convention Center - King Room with Sofabed
Corner of Harbor and Katella by Disneyland
12k Hyatt Points/$778 cash for our nights

We spent three nights here for 12k Hyatt points per night, transferred from UR. It was very clean, every time we walked through the lobby they were sweeping, mopping, or cleaning something, even at 1am. Maybe a 10 minute walk tops for two adults. Breakfast had eggs, bacon/sausage, toast, pastries, fruit, coffee, and juice. They had to go coffee cups and flavored creamer in the breakfast room. The room just had regular coffee mugs like you'd have at home. I think they had Seattle's Best in the breakfast room, and just your typical hospitality brand in the room - I didn't try it.

ETA: We didn't try the breakfast because we fell for the siren call of Disney breakfast each morning.

And while we're at it...

Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina - Traditional Marina Tower King Room
10k Starpoints + $30 resort fee/$160 incl resort fees on our night

We watched some planes take off and land from our balcony for a bit. Not as much airport noise plus it ended earlier compared to the next hotel review. There's a shuttle, but we actually just walked over for the night with our little carry-on roller bag. The weather was so nice! Busy roads being by the airport, but I didn't find it sketchy or anything. We paid cash for extra points. And I struggle because to me, at least when I booked it, 10k points is a night at the Dolphin, so that's how I keep thinking of my starpoints. We had drinks and apps in the bar downstairs. The drinks were good, but the apps weren't anything special to us. We were a little disappointed by them.

I don't know if I'd stay here if I was in San Diego for a few days, if I was going to be Downtown a lot or something, but it worked well for us for a night before heading off to BILs wedding. And the girl at the desk was very confused about getting lounge access with SPG business card, but hey, unless you're staying there before August that won't matter!

My Starbucks coffee

And I know how concerned you all were about the trouble we had with the lounge access, so here's DH enjoying his (probably) one and only Sheraton lounge.

Four Points by Sheraton LAX - Deluxe King Room
10k Starpoints/$146 on our night

We stayed here for a night when we did a weekend in Long Beach. I picked this one because it had a shuttle, we just needed one night, and it was similarly priced to other hotels but we got to use it towards an SPG promo for extra points, so that tipped us in its favor. We got in late, almost midnight and caught the shuttle. The only issue was I had done mobile check in, and I think it had been so long since they activated our room keys that they didn't work any more - I had that happen at a Quality Inn in March, where they had made them early and had them on the desk. So we had to troop back down and there was only one person at check-in, but a line of 4 or 5 parties. If planes would bother you, probably not the best choice. But they don't bother us so it was perfect for one night at the start of a trip

Thanks for the reviews! We have an LA trip next year that I am hoping to turn into a Disney trip. Is that Hyatt walking distance?

 

[3 DD love princesses]

Sorry to interrupt but I figured this group is the best place to ask- is there an Annual Passholder thread on these forums anywhere? I am seriously considering them but trying to decide if it's the best option for us and have some questions!

We have gotten 2 AP now. Feel free to ask questions happy to help answer them. I haven’t seen a ap thread just see questions on multiple threads.

 

[Lain]

Hawaiian Airlines people -- I just booked a flight (sadly not for me) on Hawaiian Airlines and am wondering about frequent flier miles. The person who is actually taking this flight doesn't have a HA frequent flier number -- should he create an account, or is there a way to get miles on another (partner?) airline's program?

Yes. Have him sign up for a HawaiianMiles account. West coast to HNL is about 5k miles RT. If he's flying with family, they should sign up for accounts too because if one of them ends up signing up for a Barclays Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard, the cardholder can receive transfers of HawaiianMiles from anyone for free and effectively pool their miles.

DoC posted recently that the Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard is offering a 60,000 HawaiianMiles bonus by signing up through an in-flight paper application: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/6000...e-credit-card-bonus-in-flight-paper-app-only/ This offer seems valid through 6/30/18. The standard public offer for the Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard is 35,000 miles. Do NOT have him sign up for just 35,000 miles. One can usually pull a higher 50,000 miles offer by making a dummy booking on HawaiianAirlines.com. Flying on HA will also get him targeted for 50,000 mile mailers. I've probably gotten at least three 50,000 miles offers in the mail since returning from Hawaii at the start of this year.

Award availability can be impossible during the holidays, but I find that we can usually find RT award seats for SFO<>HNL most of the year for about 35k-50k miles. HawaiianMiles can also be redeemed on partner airlines: http://hawaiianair.custhelp.com/app...28/~/redeem-hawaiianmiles-on-partner-airlines

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thread is created: https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...f-i-love-credit-cards-so-much-thread.3680669/

@amalone1013 - can you copy and paste your review over there? I think others have done some reviews here too - if so can you help add that info there This could be kinda cool if we build it up right.

 

[amalone1013]

Thanks for the reviews! We have an LA trip next year that I am hoping to turn into a Disney trip. Is that Hyatt walking distance?

It is! 5ish minutes for two adults.

Thread is created: https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...f-i-love-credit-cards-so-much-thread.3680669/

@amalone1013 - can you copy and paste your review over there? I think others have done some reviews here too - if so can you help add that info there This could be kinda cool if we build it up right.

I will do that! But probably tomorrow morning because tonight there have been

 

[mfly]

Convinced my mom to double-dip the CSR/CSP today (my Dad’s will be next once they finish the MSR on these two). She was auto-approved for the CSP, then did the CSR app incognito on another computer and she got the 30-day message. She’s convinced she won’t get it. Auto-status line says 2 weeks.

(Bratty Confession): I’ve never not been auto-approved for a card, so being involved in this one I’m finally understanding all your stress/impatience as you wait for the status to change... I may have already called the status line twice and it’s only been a half-hour.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

It appears all links for the OLD Marriott card are dead

I just checked a bunch of r/churning links and none worked. I also can't seem to find any working link on blogs or chase site... So for those that were still interested in the old card or who wanted to double dip...that ship may have sailed now.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

DISchurners Links that need to be updated:

Would the following folks please address these links on DISchurners I'll give it a few days and if not updated will just remove the entire comments, thanks!

Southwest Offers listing 50,000 points for $2k spend BUT actual offer is 40,000 points for $1k spend
@jhoannam; @shystalips

Nonworking SPG Links (if these are your only links then please delete your comment)
@Psychodisney; @kayteekt; @BklynGirl

Thanks guys!

 

[miztressuz]

It appears all links for the OLD Marriott card are dead

I just checked a bunch of r/churning links and none worked. I also can't seem to find any working link on blogs or chase site... So for those that were still interested in the old card or who wanted to double dip...that ship may have sailed now.

I hate 'liking' bad news. Need a sad frownie face button to show we appreciate it, but totally bummed at the same time.

 

[miztressuz]

So on AmEx Dave & Busters codes everything as the "Restaurants" category, FYI. 3 separate charges for bowling, food, and arcade credits all coded the same: Restaurants with a description of "Goods & Services". I assumed it would all code as entertainment or something, not restaurant so I didn't even try my CSR on the food part; just put everything toward the last bit of SPG spend. Now I wonder what could have been. It's not like it was hundreds of dollars but I was trying to keep it to only non-category spend to not miss out maximizing elsewhere.

 

[Albort]

So on AmEx Dave & Busters codes everything as the "Restaurants" category, FYI. 3 separate charges for bowling, food, and arcade credits all coded the same: Restaurants with a description of "Goods & Services". I assumed it would all code as entertainment or something, not restaurant so I didn't even try my CSR on the food part; just put everything toward the last bit of SPG spend. Now I wonder what could have been. It's not like it was hundreds of dollars but I was trying to keep it to only non-category spend to not miss out maximizing elsewhere.

codes as RESTAURANTS/ BARS - 5812 for visa.

 

[platamama]

So Dh has one more stay, after tonight, to re-up diamond at Hilton for next year (30 days).

I am on the fence with having him switch to starriott now to earn status there after next week. We have never done that before, but I have never obsessed over points until this year. (Maybe slightly addicted)

He got the SPG biz so got the 5 nights credits (2 stays i think) from that. So would the best bet be to do SPG stays now and try to hit platinum (23 more stays) by Aug 1 and that would turn into Marriott platinum through Feb 2020? I'm not sure marriott plat is even that great over gold. We won't use the 48hr guarantee. I guess the breakfast would be nice, but only on the occasional leisure trip. He doesn't need free breakfast for work trips. Oh, the extra point earning rate would be good. Hmmnnn...

I think if he's SPG Plat based on SPG stays by 8/1 then yes, he's Marriott Platinum at least through Feb 2019. If, during the course of 2018, he reaches 50 nights (SPG nights + Marriott nights + credit card elite nights) then he should be Platinum through Feb 2020. As to whether or not it's worth it? I've tried to read up on Flyertalk and Marriott Insiders to see if Platinum status gets you much at properties I'm interested in, and it seems very YMMV. I would imagine it really depends on how full the hotel is when you're staying there.

If he stays at Hiltons for the rest of the year, at Diamond level he earns 20pts/$1 Hilton spend on stays, right? How many Hilton points could he amass, and can you assign a ballpark value to what those points are worth to you so you can compare that to what you think you'd gain from him reaching Marriott Platinum?

 

[platamama]

OMG I'm at 4/24.

One more day of 100K CIP in-branch and I only have a "business." And I have an old CIC. But I want a SW CP later this year which almost certainly is going to require a SW Biz. Ack! Decisions decisions.

ETA: Oops, I'm wrong. Will be 4/24 in June. Dang, I got overexcited. I'll take it as a sign to go for the SW Biz instead of a CIP. Can't believe I have to wait til December for DH to get a CIP.